Page 102 of His Choice

“So, Brighton, how’s Clara?” she asked.

“Marvelous.” Brighton beamed whenever there was an opportunity to talk about his daughter. “She can’t wait to transfer to Burlington College.”

We had all learned a few months earlier that Brighton’s ex-wife, Katie, had been promoted to vice-president of marketing for the international company that employed her, which required a move to New York City. Faced with the prospect of Cliff, Brighton, and Clara being across the Atlantic from her anyway, she’d changed her mind about her daughter going to school in Vermont. After two years in London, Cliff had been able to come home for good. Brighton had been fine with the plan. Although he still had modeling assignments, he had taken an interest in horses. He and Cliff were going to repurpose part of their massive White Pines property where Brighton could manage the rental of stables and care for peoples’ horses.

“She’s such a lovely girl,” Ms. Walker told Brighton. “I miss being with her in London. Clara is the best shopping companion I’ve ever had. Her taste is even better than Cliff’s.”

Brighton laughed. “You spoil her. Don’t get me in trouble with Katie.”

“What’s my mother doing now?” Cliff asked as he and Mikey re-entered the room with two more chairs.

Ms. Walker pursed her lips. “Brighton was just suggesting that Clem and I move out of my apartment and live here with you.”

Brighton and Cliff both had the same shocked expressions. Other people laughing ruined Ms. Walker’s joke.

“That was the cruelest April Fools prank yet, Mom,” Cliff muttered. “May I sit next to Brighton again? He and I would like to make an announcement.”

I squeezed Ezra’s hand, excited to hear the two men had gotten engaged.

Once Ms. Walker took a seat next to Clem, Cliff cleared his throat. “Um, the announcement is that… Aaron and Mikey have an announcement.”

That surprised all of us, and our heads turned in their direction.

Aaron grinned. “When we got in from New York City last night, Cliff put us up in the bedroom where Mikey and I stayed during the filming of His Choice. After we re-enacted a little shower situation…”

There were some awkward chuckles.

“Aaron!” Mikey scolded. “They don’t need to hear that.”

“Now we do,” Keller countered. “Give us the deets.”

Mitch reached over and covered Keller’s mouth. “Please ignore this one. He has a one-track mind.”

Keller pushed Mitch’s hand away and grinned. “Like that’s ever bothered you.”

Mitch wrapped his arm around his husband’s shoulders and tugged him closer. “It hasn’t, but we should let Aaron finish.”

Aaron glanced around the room. “Well, I told Mikey last night that being back here… It reminded me that this was where I was when I realized I wanted to spend my life with him. I mean, I knew I had been falling in love with him before that. But I guess it was when it really hit me that he could end up with Cliff and I could end up regretting that I hadn’t said anything. Thank God Ms. Walker talked some sense into me the day of the show’s finale and I mustered the courage to let Mikey know how I feel.”

Mikey smiled shyly. “That might have been the best day of my life. Until last night.”

“As I held Mikey in that bed again, I proposed,” Aaron explained before beaming. “He said yes.”

Everyone shouted congratulations and joyous sentiments as we crowded around the couple to give them hugs and kisses.

When everyone had returned to their seats, Mikey thanked everyone again. “When I called my parents this morning, they said they were happy that I’d no longer be living in sin.”

That elicited some laughs and head shakes.

“My parents just asked me what took us so long,” Aaron added. “I think my sister is annoyed that the pressure will shift to her now.”

“Darling,” Ms. Walker called out to Cliff. “You really must offer the mansion as a wedding venue. They’re young. They don’t have the money to do it properly.” She turned to Mikey. “Cliff’s father and I got married in the basement hall of a dilapidated bar, with reception food catered by a deli. To think that was the best day of the marriage!”

“Yes, of course they’re welcome to hold the ceremony and party here,” Cliff said with a smile. “If they’d like.”

Aaron was taken by surprise. “Wow. Cliff, you’ve been so generous to us. We really can’t keep taking…”

“He loves pleasing people,” Ms. Walker cut in. “He gets that from me.”